Andy Wilson, lifelong Oldham fan and RL writre for the Guardian yesterday tweeted, 'Hearing alarming rumours that the once proud Oldham club have hit a new low. Fear will be confirmed tomorrow'. After a number of replies he followed this up today with, 'Just to clarify the Oldham news isn't financial'.

Does this refer to Oldham entering an agreement with St Helens similar to Hunslet-Leeds and Swinton-Warrington? In my opinion sees us simply becoming a feeder club for Saints.

Hope this isn't the case but if so agree with Andy, this is a new all time low for Oldham and RL.

Saints U20's is not one of the strongest in super league either. As long as all the lads get an even chance then both clubs could benefit.If Saints expect to dictate to Oldham then we'll be no stonger than a University team. Notable this year that our distinct improvement towards teh end of the year came with players who were Oldham signings only.Too much disruption early on and mid season played apart in our demise.

I'd be concerned about young forwards in particular who often struggle in their late teens early 20's to take the knocks and come back for more.Oldham deserve great credit for our structure from service area and U18's upwards and have seen good lads coming through like Ward etc.

For me the likes of Saints should just run a team in championship one as an "A" team for their development.

Linking up as a feeder club could be the death knell for C1 clubs and I also fear for any Championship club as well in the longrun ?

I dont want Barrow to go down this route and hope they dont even if there is a short term bonus for the likes of Swinton and Hunslet on the playing side. Dewsbury are about to go into the same agreement with Bradford according to their forum.

If Saints ran an A-team in this division they would be promoted 1st season. no promotion for roughyeds again/

Seem to forget that Wigan have similar deal with South Wales, and at the moment their youth team is far stronger.Just been posting on the Dewsbury forum about their link up with the Bulls, and i agree with Morty that this is the death knell for the Championship, as the RFL undoubtedly, wants us to mimick the Aussie game with their use of feeder clubs and will happily see the death of traditional clubs to make the game more finanicially viable.

OLDHAM RL are “well down the line” in talks aimed at forming a partnership with a Super League club, said Roughyeds chief Chris Hamilton today.

He hasn’t named a specific club because he is in discussions with more than one.

Final agreements are on hold pending RFL confirmation.

In similar moves, York City Knights are linking with Hull FC; Hunslet Hawks with Leeds Rhinos; and Swinton Lions with Warrington Wolves.

“We don’t want to miss out on what’s happening,” said Mr Hamilton, “but at the same time we need to make sure both clubs will benefit from the partnership. We will not be selling our soul - our independence will be retained.”

Super League clubs, he said, were being encouraged by the RFL to partner clubs in the sport’s second and third tiers as part of an extensive revamp of structures beneath first-team level.

Under the new system an estimated 150 young players with Super League clubs will be looking for new deals with Championship or Championship One clubs.

“By forming partnerships, Super League players who have not been released but who at any given time are not getting into first teams would get first-team opportunities with their partner clubs,” said Mr Hamilton

“We are still waiting for RFL rulings on the finer points of that arrangement and on other aspects of the partnership system.

“We are currently talking to a number of the players who have been released by Super League clubs in the changes.”

In my view bringing in dual reg/loan players last season unsettled our first team balance and moral. TB felt obliged to play these palyers irrespective of whether they were worthy of a place and often didn't attend training etc. No commitment to the club and look where we eneded up. Note we picked up our performances when only our signed firts teamers were available. Lesson learned? Saints U20's were one of the poorest teams last year and so are we going to sacrifice our own developing players for these lads who have been cosetted at U20's and never taken a hit from a Ch1 forward??? Or is CH expecting our lads to turn up week in week out and then stand aside when dual reg players fancy a game.

I agree Roughyed. Finally the RFL/SL are getting what they wanted from 10 years ago. An elite SL, with the rest feeding their egos. If clubs wouldn't agree, in steps the RFL to throttle and choke the Service Areas into submission, and stiffle any player developement in the non SL playing areas.
If this is true, then its a very sad day for Oldham RLFC, and something I wholeheartedly though would never happen. Dissapointed? You bet. I am however suprised it is Saints, as it's been Salford and Huddersfield that have had their diry noses close to the trough at times. Saints have everything to gain, Oldham don't.

SL clubs only select one or two players each year for first team rugby the rest are left to fend for themselves. The one's with get up and go find a club and we have a few of those already who are coming through nicely.Are we going to let SL clubs dictate that we play their unproven players and sod the consequences.Very bad for Oldham development, commitment,fan interest, loyalty.Why would we want to come pay good money for players who have no commitment to ORLFC and no link to the fans.I can see the benefit financially for CH as the wages will be split but for the respect and history of ORLFC it's a backward step